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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23864971">Tattooed Tea Boy</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Walkingfandomss/pseuds/Walkingfandomss'>Walkingfandomss</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Torchwood</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Fluffy, Janto fluff, M/M, Minor Injuries, Minor Violence, Tattoos</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-04-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 22:55:14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,663</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23864971</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Walkingfandomss/pseuds/Walkingfandomss</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Ianto Jones has some secret tattoos that become the talk of Torchwood when he gets injured at work and has to remove his shirt to get fixed up. Owen is shocked and Jack is turned on.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Jack Harkness/Ianto Jones</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>106</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Tattooed Tea Boy</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Tattooed Tea Boy</p>
<p>Ianto wore his expensive suits for a reason. He used the finery to cover the skin that was stamped with his past, not because he was ashamed, but because he was no longer that man. That boy. Ianto could get rid of the tattoos if he really wanted to, he had more than enough money saved up from his work at Torchwood. But they reminded him of where he came from. And the artwork was magnificent. His favourite was the black dragon that snaked it’s way up his shoulder and into the crook of his neck, always threatening to poke its head above his stiff collars. When Ianto showered, he’d find himself tracing the designs etched into his skin with his idle fingers, admiring the intricate details. As a boy, Ianto felt lost and one way he decided to gain some control over the life that seemed to be anyone’s but his to manipulate, he used every spare penny to ink up his skin with designs he spent hours pouring over. Now, he finally felt secure in his place at Torchwood and it had been a long time since he last added to his collection.</p>
<p>Nobody joins a gang without being a lost soul first. His childhood gang accompanied him to the dodgy tattoo parlour a week after his sixteenth birthday, fake ID in his hand to get his first set of ink. The vibrations of the needle stung as the dark numbers began to take shape on his skinny chest. An hour later, one of the older boys guided Ianto out of the shop by his shoulders to present him to the others. As he pulled aside the collar of his T-shirt to reveal the number 14, the group cheered and hollered, some even clapped him on the shoulder. The stamp made him one of them. Part of the gang that he slinked around the streets of Cardiff with so he wouldn’t have to spend time at home. Without them, he’d have spent his teenage years sat on the park bench alone and afraid of the boys like them, but being with them meant he had a place and people to rely on. As they grew older and the petty crime became more violent and territorial, Ianto drifted from the only group of friends he’d ever known. Leaving them was hard, but he’d have to keep his record clean if he wanted to secure that office job down in London with Torchwood.</p>
<p>And that’s exactly what Ianto Jones did. The office boy rose quickly through the ranks at Torchwood One. His boss, Yvonne took a shine to his promptly delivered coffees and dry wit and offered Ianto a higher paid job on the spot one day when a technician failed to show and Ianto single handedly saved the Torchwood computer system from crashing. He finally had a place in the world and the job of his dreams, until the Battle of Canary Wharf left the new life he built as ashes at his feet. Ianto lost everything that day and had no other choice but to drag himself back to Cardiff. Recognising Captain Jack Harkness was an immense stroke of luck and with a bit of unwavering determination, Ianto managed to secure himself a place at the bottom of the ranks of another Torchwood team.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>...............................................................................................................................................................................................................……..................</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Ianto, where are you? We lost it!” Jacks voice came over his ear piece, louder than the pounding blood.</p>
<p>“Jack, Owen, take your next left. Ianto is heading toward Regis street, behind the old theatre.” Tosh replied, reading their locations off the map in the SUV as Gwen drove.</p>
<p>Another unidentified alien life form had slipped through the rift and Ianto was hot on its heels. He knew the poorly-lit backstreets of Cardiff better than the rest of his team. Jack and Owen followed its route but Ianto broke off into a sprint down an alleyway, knowing where he could intercept the bull-human-hybrid of an alien. Rounding the corner he pulled his gun into defensive and listened for movement over his own short, ragged breaths. In the distance he could hear Jacks distinctive voice call out his name and the rhythmic slap of two pairs of feet running on the wet tarmac. They were close.</p>
<p>From the shadows, the towering life form dove at Ianto with a deafening roar as he pulled the trigger on his gun. The bullet hit the beast in shoulder, doing little to stop it’s attack. It connected with Ianto, throwing him to the floor like a rag doll and knocked the breath out of his lungs. His head connected with the pavement with a sickening crack sending the world around him into a blur as the creature raised its claws to deliver a killing strike to Ianto. Through the haze, he felt frantically for his gun that was knocked out of his reach. The beasts swung and buried its claws into his flesh as Ianto cried out in agonising pain. Rapid footsteps drew closer and without hesitation, both Jack and Owen emptied their clip of bullets into the beast as the alien staggered and keeled over in a heap next to Ianto’s writhing body. He clasped his hand over his wound, feeling the sticky, hot blood seeping through this torn shirt as he whimpered and gasped for breath. Owen knelt at his side, shedding his jacket to use as a compress.</p>
<p>“Ianto, stay with me mate. We need to get you back to the Hub, I can’t see shit out here. Jack! Help me get him to the SUV!”</p>
<p>Jack had his gun trained on the alien but his eyes were fixed on the crimson puddle that spilled out of Ianto.</p>
<p>“Jack! Quickly!” Owen shouted again, struggling to lift Ianto on his own. Jack snapped into action, slinging one of Ianto’s arms over his shoulders and hauling him to his feet. The younger man grunted in immense pain and the three staggered towards the car.</p>
<p>“Oh my god, Ianto!” Gwen exclaimed “What happened?”</p>
<p>“Just get us back to the Hub as fast as you can!” Jack shouted frantically, propping a semi-conscious Ianto up in the back seat. The rest of the team scrambled into the car and they sped off on the short journey back towards Torchwood tower.</p>
<p>Jack scooped Ianto up from the car and quickly carried him through the Hub to deposit him on Owens medical bench where he quickly got to work trying to subdue the bleeding. A shot of a strong painkiller left Ianto floating on a wave of pure bliss, no longer in pain and offering no resistance against Owens work. Luckily, the rain had made the blood loss look much worse on the tarmac and it didn’t take long for the young doctor to stop the bleeding.</p>
<p>“Jack, your help again please?” Owen asked calmly as the Captain hopped up from where he was sat watching on the metal stairs of the autopsy room. “I need you to hold him up and help get his shirt off so I can stitch up these wounds properly”</p>
<p>Upon being pulled into a sitting position, Ianto flopped his weight against Owen who steadied him while Jack made swift work of the buttons on his shirt. As Jack peeled the bloodied fabric from Ianto’s skin, he quirked his head and smirked in surprise.</p>
<p>“Oh Ianto Jones you really are full of surprises.” The Captain hummed.</p>
<p>Balancing his weight between them, the pair managed to remove Ianto’s tattered shirt, leaving his torso, and the many tattoos that came with it, completely exposed. Owen whistled lowly as they lay the semi-conscious man back down on the table and then both stood back, staring at the newly discovered artwork that littered their co-workers body.</p>
<p>“Owen?” Jack said, regaining his composure after the mild shock of their new discovery.</p>
<p>“Hmm?”</p>
<p>“Do you think you should start stitching him up now?”</p>
<p>“Right, yeah. Of course” Owen babbled, springing back into action. Expertly, he knitted Ianto’s skin back together with surgical thread and began dressing his wounds in time for Ianto to start rousing again. Instinctively, Ianto’s hand reached towards the cause of his pain but it was intercepted by Jacks, who appeared at his side.</p>
<p>“Hey,” whispered the Captain soothingly, taking Ianto’s hand in one of his own and placing his other on the mans forehead, brushing aside his tousled hair “if it wasn’t for you nearly getting yourself killed, I’d be wanting an explanation as to why you thought it was a good idea to split up from the team like that.”</p>
<p>Ianto closed his eyes against the soothing strokes on his head and smiled weakly.<br/>“I’ll apologise for it later, sir.”</p>
<p>“Ianto! You’re awake.” Tosh interrupted appearing at the top of the railings before stopping in her tracks shocked “Oh my God.”</p>
<p>“What is it?” Gwen came into view next to her and raised her eyebrows in amusement upon seeing Ianto’s bare chest “Christ....”</p>
<p>“Is it really that bad?” Ianto asked mournfully, craning his neck to have a look at his wound.</p>
<p>“It’s not that.” The Captain amused, flashing Ianto a dashing smile. “Unexplained alien life forms are nothing, but finding out our very own Ianto Jones’ secret tattoo collection has stunned this Torchwood team beyond reason.”</p>
<p>Ianto looked down at his bare torso in confusion as sometimes he forgot the patterns on his skin were wildly unanticipated by most, and began to chuckle.</p>
<p>“I haven’t always been just a tea boy, you know.”</p>
<p>“Jesus Christ Ianto, how many do you have?” Gwen asked, trailing down the stairs behind Tosh to get a closer look at his tattoos.</p>
<p>Ianto winced as he pushed himself into a sitting position, aided by Jack.</p>
<p>“17 in total. Though some pieces are bigger than others” he said, rubbing the back of his head. “God, I feel like I’ve got a stinking hangover.”</p>
<p>“You hit your head when you fell. You might have some mild concussion but it’s nothing to worry about.” Explained Owen, fidgeting on the spot.</p>
<p>Ianto nodded and looked down to his bandaged wound, prodding it gently. Feeling four sets of eyes sweeping over him, looked back up to find the rest of the team gawking at him, each with a different level of amusement on their face. Owen looked like he was about to faint and Jacks eyes sparkled with devilish thoughts.</p>
<p>“What are you all still looking at?” Ianto demanded “I honestly think I’d feel less violated if I was sat here stark naked.”</p>
<p>“Oohhh now that’s something that can be arranged.” Jack mumbled, earning a slap on the arm from Gwen. Ianto’s head snapped towards the Captain who was busy undressing him with his eyes as the younger man blushed.</p>
<p>“Seriously, can I get a T-shirt on or something?”</p>
<p>“No no no Mr Jones. I’m taking you upstairs and you’re going to talk me through each and every one of these tattoos.” Gwen mused, gently slinking her arm around Ianto’s waist and helping him stand. Ianto chuckled and shook his head in defeat, letting Gwen guide him slowly up the stairs to the leather sofa.</p>
<p>Tosh plonked herself down next to Ianto and handed him a mug of tea which he accepted gratefully as the others gathered around on their desk chairs. And suddenly Ianto felt out of his depth. He wasn’t used to being the centre of attention at Torchwood and was more than happy blending into the background. Now he was sat shirtless in front of the entire team as they waited for him to tell the tales of his tattoos.</p>
<p>“So, why the number ‘14’?” Jack coaxed.</p>
<p>“This was my first tattoo actually.” Ianto explained, grazing his fingers over the numbers on his chest. “I was in a sort of gang when I was a teenager and CF14 was the postcode we were all from. A few of the older boys had matching ones. It was sort of an initiation.”</p>
<p>“A gang? You?” Frowned Owen, bewildered. “You were in a gang?”</p>
<p>Gwen and Tosh giggled time one another, mouths open in shock as Ianto nodded.</p>
<p>“And what about this one?” Asked Jack, leaning over to touch the mountain range on his bicep.</p>
<p>“I just really liked the design when I was flipping through my tattooists sketch book. Sometimes I got them for the sake of the artwork.”</p>
<p>As quickly as he was hit with a wave of nerves, they disappeared and Ianto relaxed into the conversation, telling the stories behind each of his tattoos.</p>
<p>Tosh leaned in for a closer look at his dragon tattoo while explaining that in Japanese culture the dragons were generous, benevolent forces that use their strength to do good for mankind and people often got the dragon tattoos as a status of wisdom. Ianto blushed furiously when he had to explain that as a boy he thought it made him look cool, making the team cackle with laughter.</p>
<p>Gwen took a shining to the compass with geometric print and water colours on the back of his upper arm saying that she remembered her grandfather having a small compass on his forearm after working in the Port of Cardiff all his life. Ianto grinned as he regurgitated his favourite childhood tale about pirates that his own grandmother would read to him.</p>
<p>Owen commented on the intricate detail and physiological accuracy of the skull that sat in a bed of roses, with one of the flowers growing up and through the eye socket. He was still unable to hold Ianto’s gaze when the tea boy explained that he traveled to northern Wales to get the piece commissioned by a highly respected tattoo artist when he was 18.</p>
<p>Jack teased Ianto for the quote scrawled across his lower abdomen in calligraphy. It read ‘Death smiles at everyone, only the brave smile back’ and had to defend the fact that it was the second tattoo he had ever got as each of the team took it in turns to dramatically read it out. When Ianto buried his face in his hands embarrassed at his teenaged decisions, Jack reassured that they were only teasing.</p>
<p>Once he made his way through each of the tattoos on his chest, arms and back, conversation lulled back to Torchwood and their aliens. Gwen’s phone rang as Rhys’ name flashed up on here screen, causing her to gasp as she clocked the time.</p>
<p>“Hiya love, yes I know, I know. I’m sorry.” She gushed. Jack looked at Ianto and rolled his eyes, making Ianto suppress a snort of laughter. “There was a bit of an accident at work today you see...no no I’m fine. One of my friends got a bit kicked around though, so a few of us stayed back late to make sure he was okay. I’m heading home now. See you soon, bye.”</p>
<p>She put the phone down and turned to the team, collected her things up as she rambled.</p>
<p>“I’m sorry guys, I’m going to have to go. Rhys has been waiting for me to eat and I didn’t realise the time...”</p>
<p>“Gwen, it’s fine.” Jack reassured with a smile “Go.”</p>
<p>“And don’t go scaring us like that again.” Gwen said to Ianto, squeezing his shoulder affectionately. “There’s only one Ianto Jones and I know for a fact that Torchwood would crumble without you.”</p>
<p>“I’ll sit out of the Weevil hunts for next few days then.” He replied, covering her hand with his and offering a grateful smile.</p>
<p>Gwen said her goodbyes as Ianto shivered in the cool air of the hub and became acutely more aware of his wound now the painkillers had worn off. Jack followed Gwen down the stairs to see her out and Tosh stood to collect her handbag.</p>
<p>“I should be off too, I didn’t realise the time. Do you need me to drive you back to your flat Ianto?”</p>
<p>Ianto opened his mouth to answer when Jack reappeared at the top of the stairs holding a blanket and a T-shirt.</p>
<p>“Nope, he’ll be staying here tonight.” He said, handing Ianto the items. “So I can keep an eye on you.”</p>
<p>“I’m fine, honestly.” Ianto argued, wincing as he pulled on the red T-shirt. “I just need to sleep it off.”</p>
<p>“Sleep it off? Ianto, you’ve been clawed by an alien and probably have a pretty bad concussion. You can sleep on the couch.” Jack insisted, using his signature Captain voice.</p>
<p>“Do I not get any say in this? I promise I’m fine.” Ianto complained, pouting “Owen, you’re our doctor. Tell him I’m fine to go home.”</p>
<p>“Actually Ianto, I would feel better if you stayed where someone could look after you tonight. You took a pretty nasty blow to your head when you fell.” Owen admitted apologetically.</p>
<p>“Thank you, Owen. Doctors orders. You’re staying here.” Jacks said, folding his arms over his chest.</p>
<p>“Brilliant. So you two never agree on anything until you’re ganging up on me.” Ianto huffed</p>
<p>“Sorry mate, you know I hate it when Jack’s right.” Owen said, shrugging on his leather jacket. “I’ll be off too I think. There’s a bottle of painkillers down in the autopsy room. You’ll want to take some before you go to sleep. The morphine will be wearing off soon and you’re really going to start feeling that scratch.”</p>
<p>“Do you want me to drop you off Owen?” Tosh asked, waggling her car keys</p>
<p>“Actually Tosh, yes please if you don’t mind.” Owen sighed “I am shattered and I have no idea how long I’ll be waiting for a taxi this time of night.”</p>
<p>“No problem at all.” Tosh beamed. “See you both tomorrow.”</p>
<p>The men bid them goodbye and Ianto began pushing himself up off the sofa, only to be gently stopped by Jacks hand on his chest.</p>
<p>“And where do you think you’re going?” Jack questions, keeping the younger man firmly pinned to the seat.</p>
<p>“Owen said I needed the painkillers. I’m more than capable of getting them on my own.” He insisted trying, and failing, to stand once more.</p>
<p>“We almost lost you tonight.” Jack argued. Ianto could swear his voice sounded softer; almost pained. “At least let me get you your painkillers.”</p>
<p>Ianto swallowed and nodded, suddenly aware of the shift in Jacks demeanour now they were alone in the Hub. The Captain Jack Harkness facade always disappeared when Ianto stayed at the Hub late catching up on some admin or sat at the other side of his desk chatting the night away when they’d had a particularly taxing days work. That was the best Jack.</p>
<p>While Jack was off collecting him the painkillers, Ianto made himself comfy by kicking off his shoes. He began wiggling off his trousers so he could sleep in his boxers when Jack appeared with the bottle of pills and a glass of water. He stopped in his tracks and raised an eyebrow at the sight.</p>
<p>“I’d offer to help you with those as well, but you’d only accuse me of harassment.” Jack quipped.</p>
<p>“Stop.” Ianto warned half heartedly, quickly removing his trousers and covering his bottom half with the blanket and swinging both legs onto the sofa.</p>
<p>“Another one!” Jack exclaimed pointing at the wolfs head on Ianto’s thigh before it disappeared below the sheet. “How many is that I’ve seen now? 16 tattoos?”</p>
<p>“Um yeah. I think so.” Said Ianto, swallowing the pills Jack handed him.</p>
<p>Jack moved towards Ianto’s feet and picked them up so he could sit down, resting them on his lap. Ianto stiffened, unfamiliar with the comfortable closeness that they shared.</p>
<p>“So, where is the last one?” Jack asked with a mischievous smile. Ianto felt like the Captain already knew the answer to this question.</p>
<p>“The last what?” Ianto asked innocently, a blush creeping onto his pale cheeks.</p>
<p>“Come on, the last tattoo.” Jack egged “Earlier you said that you had 17, and I’ve seen 16. So, where’s the last one?”</p>
<p>“Umm... you really don’t what to know.”</p>
<p>“Ianto Jones, you have a tattoo on your ass, don’t you?”</p>
<p>Ianto’s cheeks turned a more furious shade of red as Jack doubled over with laughter, taking the embarrassment as a ‘yes’.</p>
<p>“Show me!” Jack begged</p>
<p>“Not a chance.”</p>
<p>“Okay okay.” He surrendered “At least tell me what it is.”</p>
<p>“It’s an Ace of Spades.” Ianto mumbled. “I got it after a night out drinking with some old friends.”</p>
<p>“You are full of surprises tonight.” Jack laughed shaking his head.</p>
<p>“Like I said earlier, I haven’t always been just an office boy.”</p>
<p>“Don’t keep saying that.” Jack said pitifully “You’re not ‘just an office boy’ to us. You know that right?”</p>
<p>Ianto was hit with a wave of sadness and bowed his head, suddenly choked up. He felt Jack shift so the older man was now looking directly at him.</p>
<p>“Hey, look at me. What Gwen said earlier was right. There’s no way we’d keep this place going without you. Your work here is just as important as Tosh’s or Owens or Gwens. Maybe not mine...” he joked, earning a little smile from the younger man. “But we’d never get anything done if it wasn’t for you. And we all really appreciate everything you do.”</p>
<p>“I think you’re the one who’s concussed.” Ianto teased, heart feeling warm. Jack rolled his eyes “But thank you, sir. It means a lot.”</p>
<p>“On that note, you need to get some sleep.” Jack ordered, standing up. “If you need anything in the night just give me a shout.”</p>
<p>“I’m sure I’ll be fine.” Ianto assured, snuggling down beneath the blanket, eyes now feeling heavy. “But, yeah. I will do.”</p>
<p>Jack nodded curtly and made his way towards the stairs. Reaching the railing he stopped and turned back towards the man already slipping into a painkiller-induced sleep.</p>
<p>“Ianto, one last thing.”</p>
<p>“Hmn?”</p>
<p>“Promise me that you won’t go risking your life like that again.”</p>
<p>“I promise, sir.” Ianto replied with a sleepy smile.</p>
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